Retaining frame for a multicoupling for filling and/or draining a chemical plant container

ABSTRACT

A holding stand for a multicoupling for filling and/or emptying a chemical plant container is provided, having a mounting device for the essentially stationary fastening of the holding stand and at least one compensating device, couplable indirectly or directly to the multicoupling, for varying a position of the multicoupling in relation to the mounting device in the vertical direction and/or in the horizontal direction and/or for varying an angular position of the multicoupling in relation to the mounting device about a vertical and/or horizontal axis of rotation. It thereby becomes possible for a multicoupling to be coupled simply.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/345,578, filed Mar. 18, 2014, which is a § 371 National Stage entryof International Application No. PCT/EP2012/068464, filed Sep. 19, 2012,which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102011053800.3,filed Sep. 20, 2011. All of the above priority applications are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a holding stand for a multicoupling forfilling and/or emptying a chemical plant container, with the aid ofwhich holding stand the multicoupling can be fastened.

Description of Related Art

US 2009/0322072 A1 discloses a multicoupling, with the aid of which aplurality of hoselines of a stationary side can be coupledsimultaneously to matching hoselines of a movable side.

There is a constant need to simplify the coupling of a multicoupling.

SUMMARY

The object of the invention is to specify measures which make itpossible to couple a multicoupling simply.

The object is achieved, according to the invention, by means of aholding stand for a multicoupling for filling and/or emptying a chemicalplant container, having the features of Claim 1. Preferred refinementsof the invention are specified in the subclaims.

According to the invention, a holding stand for a multicoupling forfilling and/or emptying a chemical plant container is provided, having amounting device for the essentially stationary fastening of the holdingstand and at least one compensating device, couplable indirectly ordirectly to the multicoupling, for varying a position of themulticoupling in relation to the mounting device in the verticaldirection and/or in the horizontal direction and/or for varying anangular position of the multicoupling in relation to the mounting deviceabout a vertical and/or horizontal axis of rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of a docking station,

FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic side view of the docking station from FIG.1,

FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of a detail of a dockingstation,

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic top view of conveying hoses of the dockingstation from FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic top view of the docking station from FIG. 3,and

FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic side view of the docking station from FIG.3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

By the multicoupling being fastened movably to the holding stand, amovable part to be coupled, in particular a chemical plant container forthe accommodation and/or process treatment of substances and/orsubstance mixtures occurring in chemical plants, for example forcarrying out a chemical reaction or a process engineering process, canbe coupled in a simple way to an essentially immovable part, for examplea supply plant for the provision of starting materials and for theaccommodation of products, or to a likewise movable part, sinceinclinations and/or offsets can be compensated by means of the holdingstand. The chemical plant container may accommodate, in particular,solid, liquid and/or gaseous substances or substance mixtures which arepresent in single-phase or multi-phase form, for example as a suspensionor emulsion. The chemical plant container may have, in particular, aprocess engineering technique, for example for heating and/or coolingand/or mixing and/or separation and/or pressure regulation and/oraeration and/or deaeration, which preferably makes it possible in thechemical plant container to carry out a chemical reaction and toregulate intended reaction conditions. For example, a chemical plantcontainer can be transported by an HGV to a supply plant, where thestarting materials for a chemical reaction to be carried out inside thechemical plant container can be introduced and/or products present aftercarrying out the chemical reaction can be emptied. Inaccuratepositioning and/or alignment of the HGV and/or of the chemical plantcontainer transported by the HGV can be compensated with the aid of theholding stand. Furthermore, it is possible to compensate, preferablyautomatically, a fall or rise in the position of the chemical plantcontainer even taking place during filling or emptying, as may occur asa result of the changing weight of the chemical plant container becauseof the compression or rebound of the latter in shock absorbers or otherdamper and/or spring elements. The situation can be avoided where abulky and/or heavy movable part has to be oriented in a complicated wayin order to bring about coupling. Simple coupling of a multicoupling isthereby made possible.

The mounting device may be configured, for example, as a component whichcan be stationarily connected releasably or unreleasably to a largerstructural unit. The mounting device may be connected to a base 21and/or a wall of a building, in particular a supply plant, or a wall ofa transportable structural unit, in particular a chemical plantcontainer. The multicoupling may have, for example, a holding plate, towhich the at least one coupling is connected, the coupling penetratingthrough the holding plate. The multicoupling may have at least onecoupling, the multicoupling having, in particular, a plurality ofcouplings, in particular plug connectors. With the aid of the respectivecoupling, in particular, hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electricalcoupling to a matching coupling can be effected. The couplings couplableto one another are, in particular, designed as a male coupling which canbe plugged into a female coupling, in which case the male coupling canbe connected to the multicoupling, connected movably to the holdingstand, and the female coupling can be connected to the multicouplingmatching this, or vice versa. Preferably, a plurality of compensatingdevices are provided which in each case allow different defineddisplacements and/or pivotings of the multicoupling. The respectivedisplacement of the respective compensating device may take place, forexample, essentially exactly vertically or essentially exactlyhorizontally. It is also possible that displacement takes placeobliquely to the horizontal and obliquely to the vertical with afraction of movement in the horizontal direction and with a fraction ofmovement in the vertical direction. The respective pivoting of therespective compensating device may take place correspondingly, forexample, about an axis of rotation which runs essentially exactlyvertically or essentially exactly horizontally. It is also possible thatthe axis of rotation runs obliquely to the horizontal and obliquely tothe vertical. The maximum displacement travel of a linear movementand/or the maximum angular amount of a rotation of a compensating devicecan be limited, in particular, with the aid of a correspondingpreferably damped and/or sprung stop.

What is provided, in particular, as at least one compensating deviceis—a linear compensating device for the linear displacement of themulticoupling along a designated, in particular essentially horizontalcontact direction for connecting a male coupling to a female couplingand/or

-   -   a lift compensating device for the linear, in particular        essentially vertical displacement of the multicoupling        transversely to a designated, in particular essentially        horizontal contact direction for connecting a male coupling to a        female coupling and/or    -   a transverse compensating device for the linear, in particular        essentially horizontal offset of the multicoupling transversely        to a designated, in particular essentially horizontal contact        direction for connecting a male coupling to a female coupling        and/or    -   a tilt compensating device for pivoting the multicoupling about        a tilt axis of rotation, in particular running essentially        horizontally, transversely to a designated, in particular        essentially horizontal contact direction, for connecting a male        coupling to a female coupling and/or    -   an oblique compensating device (42) for pivoting (101) the        multicoupling (14) about an oblique axis of rotation (102), in        particular running essentially vertically (103), transversely        (104) to a designated, in particular essentially horizontal        contact direction (28), for connecting a male coupling to a        female coupling and/or    -   a rotary compensating device for rotating the multicoupling        about a rotary axis of rotation running transversely to a        designated, in particular essentially horizontal contact        direction for connecting a male coupling to a female coupling.

In particular, a plurality of individual compensating devices areprovided, which can be actuated independently of one another and whichare coupled to one another in such a way that the individualcompensating movements of the compensating devices are superposed on oneanother. Furthermore, it is possible, by means of a single structuralimplementation, to form two or more compensating devices simultaneously.The particular technical advantage of using two or more compensatingdevices on a multicoupling is that the multicoupling can compensate verymuch more flexibly and adaptably inaccuracies in the position of achemical plant container to be coupled to the multicoupling. This allowssimpler and more efficient handling of a container to be coupled to themulticoupling, since, for direct coupling, the container only has to beset down in an approximate position and does not have to be positionedexactly, because slight position inaccuracies can be compensated bymeans of the multicoupling.

The designated contact direction is, in particular, a movement directionwhich a multicoupling matching the multicoupling connected to theholding stand has to execute in order to couple the two multicouplingsto one another by a male coupling being plugged into a female coupling.The designated movement direction corresponds essentially to theorientation of the at least one coupling of the multicoupling.Preferably, the designated movement direction is oriented essentiallyhorizontally, so that the chemical plant container can be docked to astationary supply plant with the aid of a suitable vehicle via themulticoupling accommodated movably by the holding stand. Offsets and/ortilts can be compensated by means of the individual compensatingdevices. The individual compensating devices can, for example, beactuated by hand. However, it is also possible, by means of suitablesensor technology, for example with the aid of optical and/orelectromagnetic sensors for detecting the position and attitude of themulticoupling to be docked in relation to the multicoupling accommodatedin front of the holding stand, to determine in space the arrangement ofthe multicoupling to be docked in relation to the multicouplingaccommodated in front of the holding stand and to actuate the individualcompensating devices automatically with the aid of a controller providedfor this purpose. This makes it possible without much outlay in terms oforientation, for example, to dock a chemical plant container to themulticoupling accommodated by the holding stand. In particular, with theaid of the individual compensating devices, the multicouplings to becoupled to one another can preferably automatically be oriented parallelto and in alignment with one another. Damage to one of themulticouplings during docking is thereby avoided.

Preferably, the linear compensating device has at least one slidingshoe, guided in a guide rail, for the linear displacement of themulticoupling, in particular the guide rail being formed by the mountingdevice. The maximum displacement travel of the sliding shoe can belimited by preferably damped and/or sprung ram protection. By means ofthe sliding shoe guided by the guide rail, a linear movement along thecontact direction can be stipulated. For example, the mounting device isconnectable to a base and, on the side pointing away from the base,forms the guide rail. In particular, the sliding shoe can be locked bymeans of the guide rail, so that forces occurring in the contactdirection can be removed via this lock. Preferably, a first sliding shoeguided in a first guide rail and a second sliding shoe guided in asecond guide rail are provided, so that the weight and the forcesoccurring can be better distributed. The first sliding shoe and thesecond sliding shoe may be connected rigidly to one another via acrossmember. However, it is also possible, by means of a suitableconnection, to displace the first sliding shoe and the second slidingshoe along the guide rails to a different extent, at least over alimited distance, so that, as a result of the different displacement ofthe sliding shoes, pivoting of the multicoupling about an, inparticular, vertical axis of rotation for the purpose of compensating aninclination can take place. The linear compensating device can therebyat the same time form the oblique compensating device.

Especially preferably, the lift compensating device has a first linearadjustment, configured particularly as a spindle drive, for the lineardisplacement of the multicoupling and a second linear adjustment,configured particularly as a spindle drive, for the linear displacementof the multi-coupling, in particular the first linear adjustment beingactuable independently of the second linear adjustment for providing arotation of the multicoupling. Alternatively, it is possible that thelift compensating device has only exactly one linear adjustment,preferably configured as a spindle drive. By means of the linearadjustment, in particular, a lift offset in the vertical direction canbe compensated. By means of the two linear adjustments, forces occurringcan be better distributed. By means of the two linear adjustmentsactuable independently of one another, the linear adjustments can beadjusted by the amount of a different distance, with the result thatrotation of the multicoupling about an, in particular, essentiallyhorizontal axis of rotation along the contact direction can be achieved.The lift compensating device can thereby at the same time form therotary compensating device.

In particular, a first holding arm for the pivotable mounting of themulticoupling and a second holding arm for the pivotable mounting of themulticoupling for the purpose of forming the tilt compensating deviceare provided, in particular the multicoupling being mountable by meansof the first holding arm via a first long hole and by means of thesecond holding arm via a second long hole to form the obliquecompensating device. Preferably, the multicoupling has projectingbearing bolts which are mounted pivotably on mutually opposite sides ofthe holding arms. As a result of a measure which can be implemented in astructurally simple way, tilt compensation about an, in particular,horizontal axis of rotation running transversely to the contactdirection can take place. By means of the long holes, it is possiblethat the bearing bolts execute in the long holes an offset along thecontact direction, for example in order, as a linear compensatingdevice, to allow compensation along the contact direction. Especiallypreferably, the bearing bolts are moved in the long holes in differentdirections, in order, as an oblique compensating device, to allowcompensation of an inclination. The particular technical advantage ofusing an oblique compensating device on a multicoupling is that themulticoupling can compensate, very much more flexibly and adaptably,inaccuracies in the position of a chemical plant container to be coupledto the multicoupling. This allows simpler and more efficient handling ofa container to be coupled to the multicoupling, since, for directcoupling, the container only has to be set down in an approximateposition and does not have to be positioned exactly, because slightposition inaccuracies can be compensated by the multicoupling. Thistechnical advantage is especially pronounced when, as a result of asingle structural implementation, two or more compensating devices areused simultaneously. For example, a large chemical plant container doesnot have to be set down exactly in a specific place to the millimetre.Position inaccuracies in the centimetre range regularly occur when thecontainer is being set down. Fine orientation of the container inrelation to the multicoupling would be complicated, less efficient andtime-consuming. The use of one, two or more compensating devices, inparticular of an oblique compensating device, advantageously makes itpossible to set down the container in an approximate position and tocouple it directly to the multicoupling. In this case, positioninaccuracies are compensated by means of one, two or more compensatingdevices, in particular an oblique compensating device.

The invention relates, furthermore, to a docking station for docking achemical plant container to a supply plant, having a holding stand,which can be designed and developed, as described above, and amulticoupling accommodated movably by the holding stand and having atleast one coupling. With the aid of the holding stand, it becomespossible for a multicoupling to be coupled simply. In particular, thedocking station may be standardized, for example, as an industrialstandard, so that many different chemical plant containers can becoupled to different supply plants and/or process engineering plantswith the aid of the same docking technique. This affords overridingcompatibility which, in particular, is offered within a chemical planthaving a plurality of supply plants and/or process engineering plantsand which makes it possible to have exchangeability of standardizedcomponents, this compatibility preferably being achievable even outsidea delimited chemical plant, in particular internationally. The dockingstation may be used, in particular, for a multiplicity of differentapplication ranges in which substance transport via the multicouplingcan take place.

The invention relates, furthermore, to a docking station for docking achemical plant container to a supply plant, having a holding stand,which may be designed and developed, as described above, a multicouplingaccommodated movably by the holding stand and having at least oneconnecting coupling, and at least one conveying hose connected to theconnecting coupling of the multicoupling, the conveying hose beingconnected at the end pointing away from the connecting coupling to ahose coupling positioned stationarily in relation to the mounting deviceof the holding stand, the conveying hose having between the hosecoupling and the connecting coupling, at least in a subregion, anarcuate, in particular essentially semicircular run for the compensationof position changes and/or attitude changes of the multicoupling inrelation to the mounting device. With the aid of the holding stand, itbecomes possible for a multicoupling to be coupled simply. Owing to thearcuate run of the conveying hose, the conveying hose, simply bychanging its radius of curvature, can follow the relative movement ofthe multicoupling with respect to the mounting device. Kinking, damageor excessively rapid wear of the conveying hose is avoided. Inparticular, the conveying hose can be stiffened and/or reinforced, so asto be able to withstand higher pressures of 2 bar, in particular 10 bar,preferably 20 bar and especially preferably 50 bar, without thereinforcing elements of the conveying hose being capable of beingdamaged as a result of the orientation of the multicoupling to which theconveying hose is connected. Preferably, the conveying hose is connectedto the connecting coupling of the multicoupling divergently from thecontact direction, in particular essentially in a horizontal directiontransversely to the contact direction. Particularly when the conveyinghose is connected to the hose coupling, which is preferably positionedin the contact direction essentially opposite to the connecting couplingof the multicoupling, likewise, in particular, essentially in ahorizontal direction transversely to the contact direction, theconveying hose acquires an essentially arcuate or part-circular run. Theessentially arcuate run of the conveying hose affords the technicaladvantage that the conveying hose is exposed to a stress profile whichis very much lower, as compared with torsional movements. The arcuate,in particular essentially semicircular run of the conveying hose,without or with only very low torsion, avoids kinking, damage orexcessive wear of the conveying hose. The conveying hose consequentlyhas a very much longer service life, since higher stress upon conveyinghoses due to multiple bends and simultaneous high torsion, which, ofcourse, is avoided according to the invention, may lead to pronouncedwear and premature failure of conveying hoses.

The essentially arcuate, in particular essentially semicircular run ofthe conveying hose may be made horizontal and/or inclined, in particularinclined in relation to the horizontal plane, so that liquids located inthe conveying hose run back to the source of the liquid and cannotremain in the suspended hose and, in the form of a liquid plug, damagethe plant when it is started up. As a result, the essentially arcuaterun of the conveying hose, which is made at the same time horizontaland/or inclined, has both the technical advantage of avoiding wear ofthe hose and the technical advantage of avoiding liquid residues in theconveying hose.

The invention relates, furthermore, to a docking station for docking achemical plant container to a supply plant, having a holding stand,which may be designed and developed, as described above, a multicouplingaccommodated movably by the holding stand and having at least oneconnecting coupling, and at least one conveying hose connected to theconnecting coupling of the multicoupling, the conveying hose beingconnected at the end pointing away from the connecting coupling to ahose coupling positioned stationarily in relation to the mounting deviceof the holding stand, the conveying hose running upwards, opposite tothe direction of gravity, from the hose coupling to the connectingcoupling. With the aid of the holding stand, it becomes possible for amulticoupling to be coupled simply. As a result of the upward run of theconveying hose from the hose coupling to the connecting coupling of themulticoupling, liquids present inside the conveying hose after fillingor emptying can flow away from the connecting coupling of themulticoupling. In particular, condensates deposited in the conveyinghose after filling or emptying can be kept away from the connectingcoupling of the multicoupling. An escape of liquids during docking tothe multicoupling can thereby be avoided. The gradient amounts, inparticular, to at least 1%, preferably to at least 2%, furtherpreferably to at least 3% and especially preferably to at least 5%. Thegradient may, in particular, amount to a maximum of 10%.

In particular, a hose repository stand with a guide orifice for leadingthrough the at least one conveying hose is provided, the guide orificelimiting a movability of the conveying hose in the direction of gravityand/or providing movability of the conveying hose transversely to thedirection of gravity in order to compensate position changes and/orattitude changes of the multicoupling in relation to the mountingdevice. The guide orifice of the hose repository stand is, inparticular, spaced apart from the hose coupling and the connectingcoupling of the multicoupling, so that sagging of the conveying hose canbe avoided. At the same time, an upward run of the conveying hose, atleast in a subregion, can be ensured. The guide orifice of the hoserepository stand may have a width in the horizontal direction such thatthe conveying hose, by varying its radius of curvature, can follow therelative movement of the multicoupling, without being bent round and/orpinched at a lateral boundary of the guide orifice.

The invention relates, furthermore, to a supply plant for the provisionof starting materials and/or for the accommodation of products, thesupply plant having a multicoupling accommodated movably by a holdingstand, which may be designed and developed, as described above, andhaving at least one coupling, and/or a docking station, which may bedesigned and developed, as described above. With the aid of the holdingstand, it becomes possible for a multicoupling to be coupled simply.

The invention relates, furthermore, to a chemical plant container forthe accommodation and/or process treatment of substances and/orsubstance mixtures occurring in chemical plants, having a firstmulticoupling accommodated movably by a first holding stand, which maybe designed and developed, as described above, and having at least onecoupling, and/or a first docking station, which may be designed anddeveloped, as described above, in particular, a second multicouplingaccommodated movably by a second holding stand, which may be designedand developed, as described above, and having at least one coupling,and/or a second docking station, which may be designed and developed, asdescribed above, being provided. The chemical plant container canaccommodate, in particular, solid, liquid and/or gaseous substances orsubstance mixtures which are in single-phase or multi-phase form, forexample as a suspension or emulsion. The chemical plant container mayhave, in particular, a process engineering technique, for example forheating and/or cooling and/or mixing and/or separation and/or pressureregulation and/or aeration and/or deaeration, which preferably makes itpossible in the chemical plant container to carry out a chemicalreaction and to regulate intended reaction conditions. The chemicalplant container may be used, in particular, for carrying out batchreactions. For this purpose, the chemical plant container can be dockedto a supply plant in order to introduce starting materials into thechemical plant container. After the end of the batch reaction or when asufficiently low predefined rate of conversion is reached, the productswhich have occurred during the chemical reaction can be emptied out ofthe chemical plant container via the docked multicoupling. If thechemical plant container has at least two multicouplings or dockingstations, continuous reaction is also possible, in that the startingmaterials are introduced, in particular, continuously orquasi-continuously via the first multicoupling and the products whichhave occurred are emptied, in particular, continuously orquasi-continuously via the second multicoupling. In particular, it ispossible to connect a plurality of chemical plant containers in seriesvia the multicouplings matching one another, so that a multi-stageessentially continuous chemical reaction or chemical engineering processcan be achieved. In the embodiment of the invention, as described above,for example, two chemical plant containers can be connected to oneanother, while positioning inaccuracies occurring between the containerscan be compensated by means of one or more compensating devices. Two ormore containers can then be coupled to one another in this way. Forexample, the holding stand may have more than one multicoupling 14 forthe coupling of more than one container.

The invention relates, furthermore, to a docking station for fillingand/or emptying a chemical plant container, having a supply plant forthe provision of starting materials and for the accommodation ofproducts, the supply plant having a multicoupling accommodated movablyby a holding stand, which may be designed and developed, as describedabove, and having at least one coupling and/or a docking station, whichmay be designed and developed, as described above, and a chemical plantcontainer for the accommodation and/or process treatment of substancesand/or substance mixtures occurring in chemical plants, which chemicalplant container may be designed and developed, in particular, asdescribed above, the chemical plant container having a multicouplingaccommodated movably by a holding stand, which may be designed anddeveloped, as described above, and having at least one coupling, and/ora docking station, which may be designed and developed, as describedabove, the multicoupling of the supply plant being couplable releasablyto the multicoupling of the chemical plant container. With the aid ofthe holding stand, it becomes possible for the multicouplings to becoupled simply. In particular, changes in position occurring even duringfilling or emptying can be compensated.

In principle, the above-described holding stand according to theinvention, the docking station according to the invention, the chemicalplant container according to the invention and the above-describeddocking system according to the invention may be designed andconstructed in accordance with the “ATEX” EU directives (EU directives94/9/EG and 1992/92/EG on explosion protection). This means, inparticular, that all surfaces can be electrically dischargeable withinthe required limits and can have sufficient electrical earthing.Moreover, the holding stand according to the invention can bemanufactured from steel, not from aluminium. Aluminium in combinationwith corroded iron may generate impact sparks, to be avoided in terms ofimproved explosion protection. This ought not to occur in a structurewhich is to be operated in an EX region. For the invention to be used inthe chemical sector, therefore, an ATEX license is of great advantage.It is precisely in chemical companies where combustible and easilyignitable substances are often employed which, in the correct mixtureratio with ambient air, form explosive mixtures. So that the inventioncan be used in such an environment, an ATEX license is a statutoryrequirement. In one embodiment of the invention, therefore, the holdingstand according to the invention, the docking station according to theinvention, the chemical plant container according to the invention andthe above-described docking system according to the invention can bedesigned and constructed in accordance with the “ATEX” EU directives soas to be capable of being used even in a region at risk of explosion.

The invention is explained below by way of example by means of preferredexemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings,while the features presented below may illustrate an aspect of theinvention in each case individually and in combination.

The docking station 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has amulticoupling 14 held movably by a holding stand 12. The multicoupling14 has a holding plate 16 through which penetrates a plurality ofcouplings 18 of various kinds. The docking station 10 can be firmlyconnected via a mounting device 20, for example, to a base 21 of asupply plant or to a wall and/or a bottom of a chemical plant container.The mounting device 20 forms a first guide rail 22 and a second guiderail 24. By means of the first guide rail 22, two first sliding shoes 26are guided linearly along an essentially horizontally running contactdirection 28. Correspondingly, by means of the second guide rail 24, twosecond sliding shoes 30 are guided linearly along the contact direction28. The guide rails 22, 24 and the sliding shoes 26, 30 form a linearcompensating device 32, with the aid of which a relative position of themulticoupling 14 with respect to the mounting device 20 can be set. Thesliding shoes 26, 30 can be locked in an intended position with the aidof locking devices 34. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, thefirst sliding shoes 26 are coupled rigidly to the second sliding shoes30 via a crossmember 36.

The docking station 10 additionally has a lift compensating device 38for compensating an offset of the multicoupling 14 in the verticaldirection, which lift compensating device has, in the exemplaryembodiment illustrated, two first linear adjustments 40 and secondlinear adjustment 41 actuable independently of one another and takingthe form of spindle drives. As a result of different actuation of thelinear adjustments 40, 41, the multicoupling 14 can be rotated about anessentially horizontal axis of rotation along the contact direction 28,so that the lift compensating device 38 at the same time forms a rotarycompensating device for rotating the multicoupling 14.

A tilt compensating device 42 is connected to the lift compensatingdevice 38. The tilt compensating device 42 has a first holding arm 44connected to the first linear adjustments 40 and a second holding arm 46connected to the second linear adjustments 41, which holding arms haverespectively a first long hole 48 and a second long hole 49 extending inthe contact direction 28. Bearing bolts 50 connected to the holdingplate 16 of the multicoupling 14 are mounted pivotably in the long holes48, 49, so that the multicoupling 14 can be tilted about an essentiallyhorizontal axis of rotation transversely to the contact direction 28. Bymeans of an offset of the bearing bolts 50 in different directionswithin the long holes 48, 49, an inclination of the multicoupling 14 canalso be compensated, so that, with the aid of the long holes 48, 49, thetilt compensating device 42 can at the same time form an obliquecompensating device for pivoting the multicoupling 14. Furthermore,between the holding plate 16 of the multicoupling 14 and the holdingarms 44, 46, a play may be provided, which is sufficiently large, toensure that the multicoupling 14 can be displaced in an essentiallyhorizontal direction transversely to the contact direction 28 for thecompensation of a transverse offset. For this purpose, the bearing bolts50 have sufficient length so that both bearing bolts 50 remainaccommodated in both long holes 48, 49 of the holding arms 44, 46 evenin the extreme lateral positions. The tilt compensating device 42 canthereby at the same time form a transverse compensating device forlinearly offsetting the multicoupling 14 transversely to the contactdirection 28. The holding stand 12 makes it possible for themulticoupling 14 to be displaced linearly in three different coordinatedirections and to be rotated in three different angular directions.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality of conveying hoses 52 can beconnected to respective connecting couplings 54 of the multicoupling 14.The conveying hoses 52 can be positioned in a curved run at a definedheight with the aid of a holding stand 56. For this purpose, the holdingstand 56 has, in particular, a plurality of guide orifices 58 in orderto position various conveying hoses 52 at different heights. The guideorifices 58 allow displacement of the conveying hoses 52 in thehorizontal direction, so that the conveying hoses 52 can change theirradius of curvature illustrated in FIG. 4, in order to be able to followthe movements of the multicoupling 14 when the multicoupling 14 is beingoriented. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the conveying hoses 52 can beconnected essentially transversely with respect to the contact direction28 to the connecting couplings 54 of the multicoupling and to the hosecoupling 60 connected to that end of the conveying hose 52 which isopposite the connecting coupling 52, so that an arcuate run of theconveying hoses 52 is obtained essentially automatically.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the multicoupling 14 supported by the holdingstand 12 may, if necessary, provide even only some of the couplings tobe made. For this purpose, the holding stand 12 may be combined with afront stand 62, to which couplings 18, for example mono hose couplings,electrical plugs or the like, can likewise be connected.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the conveying hoses 52 can be oriented upwardsto the multicoupling 14 with respect to a horizontal, so that liquidswhich, for example, are condensed out in the conveying hose 52 flow awayfrom the multicoupling 14.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A holding stand for a multicoupling forfilling and/or emptying a chemical plant container, comprising amounting device adapted for fastening of the holding stand; a firstholding arm comprising a first long hole; a second holding armcomprising a second long hole; a multicoupling comprising a holdingplate, through which penetrates a plurality of couplings; a firstbearing bolt connected to one side of the holding plate and pivotablymounted in the first long hole, and a second bearing bolt connected toan opposite side to the one side of the holding plate and pivotablymounted in the second long hole, and at least one compensating device,couplable indirectly or directly to the multicoupling, for varying aposition of the multicoupling in relation to the mounting device;wherein the at least one compensating device comprises an obliquecompensating device for pivoting the multicoupling about an oblique axisof rotation, wherein the first and second bearings bolts are moved inthe first and second long holes in different directions as the obliquecompensating device.
 2. The holding stand of claim 1, wherein the atleast one compensating device further comprises a linear compensatingdevice for linear displacement of the multicoupling along an essentiallyhorizontal contact direction for connecting a male coupling to a femalecoupling; and/or a lift compensating device for linear, essentiallyvertical displacement of the multicoupling transversely to anessentially horizontal contact direction for connecting a male couplingto a female coupling; and/or a transverse compensating device forlinear, essentially horizontal offset of the multicoupling transverselyto an essentially horizontal contact direction for connecting a malecoupling to a female coupling; and/or a tilt compensating device forpivoting the multicoupling about a horizontal axis of rotation, runningtransversely to an essentially horizontal contact direction forconnecting a male coupling to a female coupling; and/or a rotarycompensating device for rotating the multicoupling about a rotary axisof rotation running transversely to an essentially horizontal contactdirection for connecting a male coupling to a female coupling.
 3. Theholding stand of claim 2, wherein the linear compensating devicecomprises at least one sliding shoe, guided in a guide rail, for lineardisplacement of the multicoupling, wherein the guide rail is formed bythe mounting device.
 4. The holding stand of claim 2, wherein the liftcompensating device comprises a first linear adjustment, configured as aspindle drive, for linear displacement of the multicoupling and a secondlinear adjustment, configured as a spindle drive, for lineardisplacement of the multicoupling, wherein the first linear adjustmentis actuable independently of the second linear adjustment for providinga rotation of the multicoupling.
 5. A docking station for docking achemical plant container to supply plant, comprising the holding standof claim 1, wherein the multicoupling is accommodated movably by theholding stand, comprising at least one connecting coupling, and at leastone conveying hose connected to the at least one connecting coupling ofthe multicoupling, wherein the at least one conveying hose is connectedat an end pointing away from the at least one connecting coupling to ahose coupling positioned stationarily in relation to the mounting deviceof the holding stand, and the at least one conveying hose comprising anarcuate, essentially semicircular run between the hose coupling and theconnecting coupling, at least in a subregion, for the compensation ofposition changes and/or attitude changes of the multicoupling inrelation to the mounting device.
 6. A docking station for docking achemical plant container to supply plant, comprising the holding standof claim 1, wherein the multicoupling is accommodated movably by theholding stand, comprising at least one connecting coupling, and at leastone conveying hose connected to the at least one connecting coupling ofthe multicoupling, wherein the at least one conveying hose is connectedat an end pointing away from the at least one connecting coupling to ahose coupling positioned stationarily in relation to the mounting deviceof the holding stand, and the at least one conveying hose runs upwards,opposite to a direction of gravity, from the hose coupling to theconnecting coupling.
 7. The docking station of claim 5, furthercomprising a hose repository stand with a guide orifice for leadingthrough the at least one conveying hose, wherein the guide orificelimits movability of the at least one conveying hose in a direction ofgravity and/or provides movability of the at least one conveying hosetransversely to a direction of gravity in order to compensate positionchanges and/or attitude changes of the multicoupling in relation to themounting device.
 8. The holding stand according to claim 1, wherein theholding stand comprises more than one multicoupling for coupling of morethan one container.
 9. The holding stand according to claim 1, whereinthe holding stand is designed and constructed in accordance with the“ATEX” EU directives.
 10. The holding stand according to claim 1,wherein the holding stand is manufactured from steel.